Tag: Charles Victor

L&K Saatchi & Saatchi drives away with Porsche India’s mainline & digital mandate

MUMBAI: Luxury carmaker Porsche India has drawn up strategic plans for the Indian market and has roped in L&K Saatchi & Saatchi to manage its communications mandate comprising both mainline and digital responsibilities. The agency won the mandate in a multi-agency pitch and will manage it out of its Mumbai office for a period of two years.

Porsche India is a division of ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Private Limited, with its headquarters in Mumbai. It is the sole importer for Porsche’s range of sport luxury cars – including the iconic 911, Boxster, Cayman, Macan, Cayenne and Panamera – all of which showcase exemplary driving characteristics, thoroughbred performance, engineering excellence, attention to detail and exquisite craftsmanship.

Sharing his views on the appointment, Pavan Shetty, Director, Porsche India said: “We are thrilled to welcome L&K Saatchi & Saatchi on board as part of our team. In today’s age, it is critical that we partner with an agency that creates integrated solutions, which will help us connect with our audience at multiple platforms and touchpoints. We are confident that L&K Saatchi & Saatchi with its digital first, data-led approach will be able to help us build a stronger brand narrative and engage with audiences across various mediums.”

On winning the mandate, Charles Victor, Executive Director, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi said: “We are so excited to welcome Porsche India into our agency. It is a true Lovemarks brand, and a lot of us have spent our careers hoping we will one day work on this brand. We believe our digital-first thinking and data-driven approach to communication will help the brand create the right ripples. We have a huge challenge ahead of us and are looking forward to partnering Pavan and his team to achieve great success in the future.”

Since commencement of operations in India in April 2012, Porsche has won several prestigious awards from the automotive media for its range of products. It is now poised for a brighter future in India, with the introduction of all-new, exciting models to bolster its line-up. It will also add new dedicated state-of-the-art showrooms and workshops in most primary cities, built in line with Porsche’s international standards.

Porsche enjoys an extremely passionate and dedicated customer base in India and looks forward to welcoming more enthusiasts into its family.

June 22, 2020
Renault India’s social experiment to reveal ‘Who are India’s worst drivers’

MUMBAI: With the thought to find ‘Who are India’s Worst Drivers?’ Renault India along with its creative agency Law and Kenneth Saatchi and Saatchi recently conducted a social experiment in the streets of Mumbai and New Delhi by monitoring the traffic violations that took place every hour across some key sites. The experiment throws the spotlight on a cross-section of vehicle owners spanning bikes, auto-rickshaws, taxis, buses, trucks, among others.

The startling findings of the experiment showed there are almost 110 traffic violations per signal / per hour. The initiative further goes on to educate viewers to maintain road discipline and urges them to become agents of change via #RespectTheRoad.

L&K Saatchi and Saatchi executive director Charles Victor commented, “This initiative – Driving Smiles, is a wonderful initiative by Renault where we try and give back to the world we sell to. From lighting up villages during Diwali to lighting up smiles at an orphanage during Christmas, the initiative has always tried to take a step towards change. What better change to expect than to change the way Indians drive. This little social experiment aimed at showing us that the change needs to begin with us.”

Renault India vice president and head of marketing Virat Khullar mentioned, “Renault stands for ‘Passion for life’ which in a way means easy life for our customers. But for an easy life with cars, one important aspect is to follow the rules defined for driving these cars on road. In India, we all face huge traffic issues and true to our nature, all externalise the fault. This campaign is an attempt to portray reality that the traffic situation can only improve if we change ourselves and respect the road.”

The campaign has been released on digital platforms only as a two-part series that aims to serve as an educational tool. While the first film questions people on who are the traffic offenders, the second film goes on provide answers to the questions and how we all need to become agents of change.

December 10, 2018
Ranbir Kapoor becomes a salesman to promote new Renault KWID

MUMBAI: The Renault KWID has been a true game-changer. In just three years, the car has sold over 2.5 lakh units. Now, Renault has launched the new feature-loaded KWID that comes with reverse parking camera, rear armrest and rear 12 V socket.

To communicate the car’s capability and new features, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi has conceptualised a new integrated campaign. This will be rolled out across TV, radio, print and digital media. A digital film starring brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor surprising KWID customers has been released across various social media platforms.

Renault India marketing head Virat Khullar says, “Renault KWID stands for “live for more”. It has always delivered more features than the competition. In three years we have grown strongly with more than 2.5 lakh happy customers across India. This campaign uses SUV imagery to bring alive the strengths of this big small car.”

L&K Saatchi & Saatchi executive director Charles Victor adds, “Young Indians are increasingly doing short drive holidays and self-driven/planned trips making the SUV-inspired Renault KWID a perfect match for this growing lifestyle. We married this ready-to-explore-the-world attitude with the new KWID and the result was this charming piece of communication.”

L&K Saatchi & Saatchi executive creative director Kartik Smetacek mentions, “The task for the campaign was to add a new dimension to the KWID brand. Inspired by its SUV design, we wanted to reposition it as an ally in adventure.”

August 9, 2018
Kartik Smetacek joins L&K Saatchi & Saatchi as ECD

MUMBAI: While adding to its brand portfolio with a recent spate of business wins, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi have also been adding people to its growing teams across office. A recent addition has been the appointment of Kartik Smetacek as executive creative director.

L&K Saatchi & Saatchi national creative director Charles Victor said, “Acquiring talent has and will be our focus across offices. Great work can only come from wonderful creative people and I believe Kartik is definitely one of them. He has extensive, diverse experience and I love the fact that he’s hungry to take on bigger responsibilities and challenges.” Charles added that bringing people like Kartik into the system was one of the many steps taken to raise the creative bar, the results of which will soon be seen.

Fully immersed in work already, Smetacek said, “While my time at ideas@work was rewarding on many fronts, I missed the scale and opportunity that a big agency provides. So when Praveen and Charles offered me Renault, I jumped at the chance to work on a marquee international brand and in a category as buzzing as automobiles.”

On challenges that await, he said, “I think the agency is at a point of inflection with a clear mandate to become one of the key Saatchi & Saatchi offices in the region. I’m excited to be part of this journey.”

Through the many years of experience behind him, Smetacek has worked on diverse brands like Airtel, Colgate Palmolive, Taj Hotels, Cadbury, DNA, Lakme, Tata Motors, Nerolac, Bigrock and Rustomjee, to name a few.

October 27, 2014